In the processing of electronic components, and particularly in the processing of integrated circuit chips, it is frequently necessary to precisely place flux and solder at a precise location to permit the firm interconnection with the component or IC with another similar electrical elements. The patterns of conductors frequently provided on electrical packaging as well as IC's and the like include gold plated copper pads to which a solder compound may be applied for the interconnection of that pad to an external conductor. The precise placement of such solder is critical and the utilization of different types of solder and the process for applying the solder has become a complicated problem presented to the utilization of minute amounts of solder on very small pads.
A solution to the above problems, and a means to facilitate automation includes the utilization of discrete particles of solder and soldering compound formed into small balls. These solder balls, typically 30,000 of an inch in diameter must be accurately placed on appropriately prepared pads to permit the subsequent reflowing of the solder to thereby complete an electrical interconnection. These small solder balls are difficult to handle and create problems with machinery intended to automatically place the balls at specific locations. The efficient and dependable attracting and holding of individual solder balls with the subsequent accurate placement is further complicated by the prior art's inability to inexpensively detect the absence or presence of the solder ball when is being retrieved from a storage source or temporary transport mechanism and placed at a predetermined location on a workpiece; the difficulties are compounded by the frequent presence of flux material that can render the solder balls difficult to work with.